PURPOSE Emergency laparotomy (EL) encompasses a high-risk group of operations, which are increasingly performed on a heterogeneous population of patients, making preoperative risk assessment potentially difficult. The UK National Emergency Laparotomy Audit (NELA) recently produced a risk predictive tool for EL that has not yet been externally validated. We aimed to externally validate and potentially improve the NELA tool for mortality prediction after EL. METHODOLOGY We reviewed computer and paper records of EL patients from May 2012 to June 2017 at Middlemore Hospital (New Zealand). The inclusion criteria mirrored the UK NELA. We examined the NELA, Portsmouth Physiological and Operative Severity Score for the enUmeration of Mortality (P-POSSUM), Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II (APACHE-II), and American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Programs risk predictive tools for 30-day mortality. The Hosmer-Lemeshow test was used to assess calibration, and the c statistic, to evaluate discrimination (accuracy) of the tools. We added the modified frailty index (mFI) and nutrition to improve the accuracy of risk predictive tools. RESULTS A total of 758 patients met the inclusion criteria, with an observed 30-day mortality of 7.9%. The NELA was the only well calibrated tool, with predicted 30-day mortality of 7.4% (p = 0.22). When combined with mFI and nutritional status, the c statistic for NELA improved from 0.83 to 0.88. American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Programs, APACHE-II, and P-POSSUM had lower c statistics, albeit also showing an improvement (0.84, 0.81, and 0.74, respectively). CONCLUSION We have demonstrated the NELA tool to be most predictive of mortality after EL. The NELA tool would therefore facilitate preoperative risk assessment and operative decision making most precisely in EL. Future research should consider adding mFI and nutritional status to the NELA tool. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Level IV; Retrospective observational cohort study.

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Background: Functional dyspepsia (FD) is a common gastroduodenal disorder, yet its pathophysiology remains poorly understood. Bioelectrical gastric slowwave abnormalities are thought to contribute to its multifactorial pathophysiology. Electrogastrography (EGG) has been used to record gastric electrical activity; however, the clinical associations require further evaluation.Aims: This study aimed to systematically assess the clinical associations of EGG in FD.Methods: MEDLINE, EMBASE, and CENTRAL databases were systematically searched for articles using EGG in adults with FD. Primary outcomes were percentage normal versus abnormal rhythm (bradygastria, normogastria, and tachygastria). Secondary outcomes were dominant power, dominant frequency, percentage coupling, and the meal responses.Results: 1751 FD patients and 555 controls from 47 studies were included. FD patients spent less time in normogastria while fasted (SMD −0.74; 95%CI −1.22 to −0.25) and postprandially (−0.86; 95%CI −1.35 to −0.37) compared with controls. FD patients also spent more fasted time in bradygastria (0.63; 95%CI 0.33-0.93) and tachygastria (0.45; 95%CI 0.12-0.78%). The power ratio (−0.17; 95%CI −0.83-0.48) and dominant frequency meal-response ratio (0.06; 95%CI −0.08-0.21) were not significantly different to controls. Correlations between EGG metrics and the presence and timing of FD symptoms were inconsistent. EGG methodologies were diverse and variably applied. Conclusion:Abnormal gastric slow-wave rhythms are a consistent abnormality present in FD, as defined by EGG and, therefore, likely play a role in pathophysiology. The aberrant electrophysiology identified in FD warrants further investigation, including into underlying mechanisms, associated spatial patterns, and symptom correlations.

Background High‐output double enterostomies (DESs) and enteroatmospheric fistulas (EAFs) of the small bowel account for substantial patient morbidity and mortality. Management may include parenteral nutrition (PN) and prolonged admissions, at high cost. Reinfusion of chyme into the distal bowel is a proposed therapeutic alternative when the distal DES limb is accessible; however, standardized information on this technique is required. This review aimed to critically assess the literature regarding chyme reinfusion (CR) to define its current status and future directions. Methods A systematic search of medical databases was conducted for articles investigating CR in adults. Articles reporting indications, methods, benefits, technical issues, and complications resulting from CR were reviewed. A narrative synthesis of the retrieved data was undertaken. Results In total, 24 articles reporting 481 cases of CR were identified, although articles were heterogeneous in their structure and reporting. CR was most frequently performed for remediation of high‐output DES and intestinal failure and for proximally located DES. Effluent output collection was commonly manual, with distal reinfusion more commonly automated, and with few dedicated systems. Multiple benefits attributed to CR were reported, encompassing weight gain, cessation of PN, and improvements in liver function. Technical problems included distaste, labor‐intensive methods, reflux of contents, and tube dislodgement. No serious AEs or mortality directly attributable to CR were reported. Conclusions CR appears to be a promising, safe and well‐validated intervention for small bowel DES and EAF. However, more efficient and acceptable methods are required to promote greater adoption of the practice of CR.

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Electrogastrography (EGG) is a non-invasive method of measuring gastric electrophysiology. Abnormal gastric electrophysiology is thought to contribute to disease pathophysiology in patients with gastroduodenal symptoms but this has not been comprehensively quantified in pediatric populations. This study aimed to quantify the abnormalities in gastric electrophysiology on EGG in neonatal and pediatric patients. Databases were systematically searched for articles utilizing EGG in neonatal and pediatric patients ( 18 years). Primary outcomes were prevalence of abnormality, percentage of time in normal rhythm, and power ratio. Secondary outcomes were correlations between patient symptoms and abnormal gastric electrophysiology on EGG. A total of 33 articles (1444 participants) were included. EGG methodologies were variable. Pooled prevalence of abnormalities on EGG ranged from 61% to 86% in patients with functional dyspepsia (FD), gastro-esophageal reflux disease (GERD), and type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM). FD patients averaged 20.8% (P ¼ 0.011) less preprandial and 21.6% (P ¼ 0.031) less postprandial time in normogastria compared with controls. Electrophysiological abnormalities were inconsistent in GERD. T1DM patients averaged 46.2% (P ¼ 0.0003) less preprandial and similar (P ¼ 0.32) postprandial time in normogastria compared with controls, and had a lower power ratio (SMD À2.20, 95% confidence interval [CI]: À4.25 to À0.15; P ¼ 0.036). Symptom correlations with gastric electrophysiology were inconsistently reported. Abnormalities in gastric electrophysiology were identifiable across a range of pediatric patients with gastroduodenal symptoms on meta-analysis. However, techniques have been inconsistent, and standardized and more reliable EGG methods are desirable to further define these findings and their potential utility in clinical practice.

Introduction Delayed gastric emptying (DGE) is frequent after pancreaticoduodenectomy (PD). Several RCTs have explored operative strategies to minimize DGE, however, the optimal combination of gastric resection approach, anastomotic route, configuration and the use of enteroenterostomy remains unclear. Methods MEDLINE, Embase and CENTRAL databases were systematically searched for RCTs comparing gastric resection (classic Whipple, pylorus-resecting, pylorus-preserving), anastomotic route (antecolic, retrocolic), configuration (loop gastroenterostomy/Billroth II, Roux-en-Y), and use of enteroenterostomy (Braun). A random-effects, Bayesian network meta-analysis with non-informative priors was conducted to determine the optimal combination of approaches to PD for minimizing DGE. Results Twenty-four RCTs, including 2526 patients and 14 approaches were included. There was some heterogeneity, although inconsistency was low. The overall incidence of DGE was 25.6 per cent (647 patients). Pylorus-resecting, antecolic, Billroth II with Braun enteroenterostomy was associated with the lowest rates of DGE and ranked the best in 35 per cent of comparisons. Classic Whipple, retrocolic, Billroth II with Braun ranked the worst for DGE in 32 per cent of comparisons. Pairwise meta-analysis of retrocolic versus antecolic route for gastrojejunostomy found increased risk of DGE with the retrocolic route (odds ratio 2.10, 95 per cent credibility interval (cr.i.) 0.92 to 4.70). Pairwise meta-analysis of enteroenterostomy found a trend towards lower DGE rates when this was used (odds ratio 1.90, 95 per cent cr.i. 0.92 to 3.90). Having a Braun enteroenterostomy ranked the best in 96 per cent of comparisons. Conclusion Based on existing RCT evidence, a pylorus-resecting, antecolic, Billroth II with Braun enteroenterostomy seems to be associated with the lowest rates of DGE. Preregistration PROSPERO submitted 23 December 2020. CRD42021227637

A 55-year-old man presented with intermittent episodes of urinary leak through the left groin following an abscess drainage at that site at the age of 5 years. Since then he had been suffering from recurrent urinary tract infections and urinary leak, which used to be treated symptomatically. Intravenous urogram (IVU), voiding cystourethrogram (VCU), and cystoscopy done in our institution revealed a bladder diverticulum with a stone in situ, which was communicating with the fistulous opening located in the left groin. Diverticulectomy and excision of the fistulous tract cured the patient. A long-standing fistula arising from a bladder diverticulum at relatively distant site is of extreme rarity. Vesicocutaneous fistula from an iatrogenic injury to vesical diverticulum resulting from a groin surgery has not been reported so far.